Don't touch the birds: That's the simplified message from health officials after an injured bird found in Manhattan Beach was diagnosed with a form of bird flu, reviving warnings about not spreading any wildlife diseases.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department reported last week that its animal control division had located an injured bird that later tested positive for a strain of bird flu. An MBPD spokeperson said that there was no additional information to share about what kind of bird or where it was found.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed with MB News that the bird was diagnosed with a different strain of flu than the current H5N1 outbreak.
An LACDPH spokesperson nevertheless noted that influenzas can quickly change or adapt, so it is important to use standard precautions around sick, injured, or dead animals, specifically birds.
Namely: Don't touch or move any injured, sick, or dead wildlife. And keep your pets away from wildlife and wildlife feces as well. (See more detailed precautions below.)
Also report any sick or dead animals that may have had contact with an
infected bird, such as community cats, skunks, or raccoons.
Why Is Bird Flu A Concern?
Although human infections are rare, the bird flu is of heightened concern for health officials.
The current outbreak of bird flu is known as avian influenza A (H5N1) or highly pathogenic
avian influenza (HPAI). It is caused by a virus that can cause serious
illness and death in birds and mammals. While wild birds are the primary victims, it can also infect domestic birds or
other wild and domestic animals (including seals,
foxes, cats, and
cows).
It also has the unfortunate effect of being able to take down chickens or dairy cows, affecting many farms and businesses - and it has been known to sicken household pets.
According to the California Department of Public Health,
the risk to humans is low. Currently 29 people in the state have been diagnosed with bird flu, but none in L.A. County.
Nevertheless, the bird flu virus was
detected in wastewater in L.A. County in November. The L.A. County Department of Public Health says that the virus may have been introduced into wastewater by discarded
contaminated animal products, infected wild bird droppings entering the
sewage system, or animal infection.
Although you likely will not catch bird flu, you also don't want to unintentionally spread the virus.
More specifically, the L.A. County Department of Public Health advises you to:
Avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals,
or materials contaminated with bird feces. The virus can spread to other
birds, pets or mammals by contact with infected feces or consumption of
infected animals.
Report sick or dead birds to local animal control
agency for potential collection and testing. Sick birds or animals may
not have flu-like symptoms, but instead may be unable to fly, have
seizures, have difficulty walking or be found dead.
Keep your pets away from sick and
dead birds. There is some risk of the virus being transmitted to mammals
such as dogs, cats, and wild mammals, especially if they eat infected,
uncooked birds.
